Machine for balling twine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. O. MILLER.

MACHINE FOR BALLING TWINE.

No. 443,103. Patented Dec, 23, 1890.

Qwitmmy m M (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. G. MILLER.

MACHINE FOR BALLING TWINE.

No. 443,103. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

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35 A; (M ro away, I l I UNITED STATES ANDRE \V PATENT rrion;

1. MILLER, OF AUBURN, NElV YORK.

MACHIN E FOR BALLING TWIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,103, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed October 11, 1889. Serial No. 326,695. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ANDREW O. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Balling Twine, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to the means forballing twine, cord, &c., the object being to form the ball in such manner as to prevent the cord from becoming entangled in using it, and, further, to obviate the necessity of Winding it upon spools prior to balling it by winding the ball itself in a manner resembling that in which spools are wound, so that the ball may be formed directly from the twine as it comes from the cord-making machinery, thereby obviating the necessity for a second winding to get it into the desired shape for use.

The invention consists in a novel arrangement of traveling cord-guide and of trip-levers operated thereby in connection with mechanism for reversing the movement of the guide, whereby the latter is adapted to lay the cord in tapering layers which shorten in length at the periphery to complete the ball or roll in cylindrical form, as hereinafter described and claimed.

It further consists in the arrangement of means for reversing the direction of movement of the cord-guide at the ends of layers varying in length and terminal points 5 in the arrangement of the clutch-shifting devices in connection with the trips for operating the same, and in certain details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan or top view of a machine embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section, taken from the inner or drive-wheel side; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the outer or opposite side to that shown in Fig. 2.

A A indicate portions of the frame-work of the machine, which maybe of any suitable construction for the purpose, and B is the main shaft or spindle mounted in suitable bearings a and a on said frame and provided near its inner end with a band-Wheel B, through which and a band B motion is imparted to the shaft or spindle B from any suitable motor. lhe part-or bar A of the frame in which the outer end of the spindle B has its bearing is hinged at a to the main portion of the frame to permit it to be swung outward for removing and replacing the mandrel on which the ball is formed, and the disks or heads connected with said mandrel, as will appear.

O is a screw-threaded shaft mounted in hearings on the frame A and provided with band wheels or pulleys 0 0 mounted loosely on one end, between which is located a sliding friction-clutch disk or wheel D, connected to the shaft by a feather c, which permits it to be moved endwise of the shaft and into frictional engagement with either the wheel 0 or G The pulleys C and C are actuated from corresponding pulleys l3 and B on the spindle B, one through a straight belt E and the other through a crossed belt E, for rotating them in opposite directions. The sliding clutch D is shown as made in the form of a short sleeve having annular flanged on its ends matching corresponding flanges on the adjacent ends of the pulleys C and C and it is provided with a central peripheral groove at (Z, with which the arms of a shifting-fork F engage for moving the clutch endwise on its shaft. lhe shankof the fork F, as shown, is made in angular or bell-crank form and slides in and out in a socket in the bracket F, attached to the side of the frame A, and is operated through the medium of a link f, connecting it with a lever f, secured to the upper end of a rock-shaft f journaled in a bracket F secured to the inner frame-bar. The lever f crosses the shaft f and has two springs f and f connected to its forward end, the said springs diverging thence rearwardly and having their rear ends connected to the bracket F at fixed points in such relation to the lever f that when the lever is vibrated from one side of a longitudinal line to the other one spring will be on a central line parallel therewith, while the other will be thrown off the center line and will serve by its tension to hold the lever in such position with the clutch l), engaging one or the other of the pulleys C or G indicates the cord-guide provided on its rear 0r heel end with a screw-threaded sleeve G, matching the threaded portion C of the shaft and pivoting the arm G on said shaft and adapted to move endwise thereon, carrying the guidearm G with it as said shaft is rotated, the forward end or point of the arm G extending over the main shaft or spindle l for a purpose which will appear. The arm G is provided at or near the center of its length with a grooved guide-pulley g, over which the cord passes to be wound into a ball or spool, and underneath said pulley and preferably slightly in rear thereof is located a long roller II, extending transversely of the machine parallel with the main spindle and screw-shaft, and the shaft of which is mounted in suitable bearings on the frame-timbers. The cord or twine passes under this roller, moving laterally as the cord moves, coming either directly from the cord-making machinery or from spools, as the case may be, and it passes thence up over the pulley g and out to the end of the cord-guide arm.

The shaft 13 has a short clutch-faced hub or collar 13 secured to it on the inner side of the bearing a, and upon said shaft 13 is slipped a mandrel I, made tapering toward its outer end and having an annular flange or head I secured to its larger end. The outer face of this head has a clutch-faced hub Z), formed upon or secured to it to engage the corresponding face of the hub Z). The framebar A is swung outward on its hinge to permit the mandrel and its flange or head to be placed on or removed from the shaft: 13, and after said mandrel is in place a second annularflange or disk I is slipped in place on the outer end of the shaft and mandrel and is secured to the shaft in the desired relation to the mandrel by means of a set'screw i, passing through a hub i on the outer face of the disk 1 and engaging the shaft 1 The bar A is then replaced and secured in any suitable manner to adapt it to properly support the outer end of the shaft.

The disk or head I has a pin or projection I on its outer face, which in the revolution of the disk operates the device for changing the direction of movement of the cord-guide arm, as will appear. The shaft f above referred to, has a cross head or leverJ secured to its lower end, to one arm or end of which is connected a long horizontal rod or pawlbar J, extending longitudinally of the frame, a similar bar J being pivoted to the other arm of said lever J. The forward ends of said bars J and J rest upon a pendent stirrup K and pass through vertical slots in the upright part K of said stirrup to engage the pin 1 the forward ends thereof being cut away and shouldered on their upper faces at for that purpose. The bar J is made in one piece; but the bar J is divided, its forward portion consisting of an obtuse-angled bell-crank form of bar J which is pivoted at its elbow to the forward end of the bar J at j, where the latter rests and slides on the stirrup K. The forward end of the horizontal arm of this angular bar J has the shouldered end j referred to to engage the pin 1 the rearwardly-extending arm j of said lever passing through a pendent loop or stirrupZ on the forward end of the lower arm of a threearmed levcr. This lever, the lower arm of which, abme referred to, is indicated at L, has two other arms (indicated at M and N) arranged in about the same vertical plane with and above the arm L, all converging toward and united to or formed in one piece with a pivoted plate L, through which they are pivoted to the bracket F or to any other suitable support 011 the frame. The frame A at its outer side has a forked lever L pivoted to it in line with the pivot of the plate L and similar to that above described, except that it has two arms M and N instead of three, corresponding to arms M and N of the plate I. and united thereto at their outer swinging ends by transverse rods or bails M and N, the rod M extending across over the cord-guide arm G and the rod N under said arm, as shown. The stirrup Z011 the swinging end of the arm L may be made in the form of a pendent rectangular loop extending around the bars J and J and the rear end of the angular bar J orsimple horizontal spurs Z Z may extend over and under said bars from a single pendant, as preferred.

The inner frame-bar has an angular or bellcrank lever 17 pivoted to its inner side, the forward arm of which has a horizontal inwardly-projecting spur underlying the arm N. The rear upright arm of this lever 13 has a link 29 connected with it, the other end of said link being connected with the inner end of an elbow-lever P, pivoted on an arm f of the bracket F or other suitable support on the frame. The outer arm of this lever has an upright pin 2)" on it, which lies in the path of the guide-arm G as the latter approaches the inner end of the screw C, and is operated upon thereby for lifting the arm N, and thereby reversing the direction of movement of the guide-arm. A similar arrangement of levers, pin, and link, the respective corresponding parts of which are indicated at Q, q, q, and (1 is employed at the outer side of the frame, the principal difference being that the spur q in the latter case is made to overhang and pull down the arm N and with it the bail N and arm N to reverse the direction of movement of the screw and guide-arm at that end of its throw or movement.

R indicates a short rest or support for the cord-guide, secured at its inner end to the inner frame-bar and projecting laterally under I the cord-guide. It may be of any desired length and is beveled on its upper edge at its inner end at r and serves to support and uphold the cord-guide and prevent it from bear- IIO ing down on the rod or bail N, and thereby reversing the direction of movement of the guide until a suitable base is laid on the mandrel forthe winding of the cord. A spring S is secured to the frame with its free end underlying the arm L and serving to uphold it when not borne down by the weight of the cord-guide on the bail N. A stop 8 serves to limit the upward throw of the spring S, and thereby to hold the arm or lever L and with it the rods or bails M and N at the desired adjustment.

The operation of the parts will be readily understood from the foregoing description. \Vhenever the rods or bails M and N are raised by the action of the cord-guide G, either on the trip-lever P or on the rod M, they act on the lever L and thence through the stirrup Z 011 the lever J to lift its rear end into engagement with the pin 1 which thrusts the latter backward, vibrating the lever J and its shaft f and the latter, acting through the lever f and link f on the fork F and with it the clutch member D, draws the latter into engagement with the pulley C and the latter in turn operates the clutch member and through it the screw-shaft O to move the guide-arm outward-t. a, to the left in Fig. 1.

The depression of the rod N through the cord guide arm, operating either directly thereon or indirectly through the trip-lever Q and its connections, causes said rod to act through the lever L and stirrup to force the rear upwardly-inclined arm 7' f the bar J downward, and thereby to raise its forward end into the path of the pin 1 and the latter, thrusting the bar J 2 backward and vibrating the lever J, shaft f and lever f in an opposite direction to that above described, moves the clutch member D into frictional engagement with wheel G and the latter, being operated by a crossed belt, drives the shaft Gin an opposite direction, moving the cord-guide arm inwardi. 6., t0 the right in Fig. 1---until it is again reversed by its action on the rod M or lever P. The arrangement of the rest R is such that whenever the cordguide moves outward off the beveled end of said rest it drops low enough to rest upon and depress the bail N, and so to operate through the connections described to reverse the movement of the cord-guide. The cordguide is thus moved back and forth by reason of its action on the bail N and trip-lever P until a short conical base is formed on the mandrel at its inner end sufficient to raise it off the rest B, when it continues to lay the cord in tapering layers until the desired diameter of ball or spool is attained, after which the cord-guide acts on the bail M to raise it every time the guide reaches it, and thus acts through said bail and its connections to reverse the movement of the guide at the inner end of its movement. lVhen the outer end of the spool or mandrel is filled to such an extent as to prevent the cord-guide from acting on the bail N to reverse its movement, the cord-guide moveslto the outer end of its travel and comes in contact with the trip-lever Q, which acts in lieu of the bail N to reverse the movement at that end, and the cord is thus laid in gradually shortening tapering layers until the ball or spool is filled out at the periphery into substantially cylindrical form. The mandrel is then to be removed, and the ball slipped therefrom and properly secured,wh en the mandrelis replaced and the operation repeated. The size or diameter of the ball may of course be regulated, if desired, by making the arms which support the rods or bails M and N adjustable nearer to or farther from each other. Any suitable means for this purpose may be used-such, for example, as is shown at m m, Where the arms M and M are respectively pivoted to arms formed on the plates L and L and slotted or perforated to receive pins or set-screws to hold them at the desired adjustment. The rest or supportR may of course be dispensed with; but it enables me to form the first or foundation layers of the ball of any desired length, and so obviates the unnecessarily frequent changes of direction of movement of the cord-guide at that point, thereby facilitating the winding of the ball.

The ball or spool, per se, is made the subject-matter of another application for a patent of even date herewith, and it need not, therefore, be further described herein; but it will be apparent from the foregoing description of the machine and the manner in which the ball or spool is wound, the cord being wound in spool form, that the cord of which it is formed may be taken, if desired, just as it comes from the twisting machinery and wound in the first instance into the desired form for use, thereby obviating the necessity for and the expense of a second winding.

Having now described my-invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine for balling cord, the traveling cord-guide arm, in combination with and pivoted at one end to its actuating-shaft and at its other end overhanging the shaft or mandrel on which the cord is wound, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a machine for balling cord, the combination, with the cord-guide-actnating shaft and the traveling cord-guide pivoted thereon, of rods or bails lying parallel with the path of and operated upon by said guide, supporting-levers for said rods, and reversing mechanism connected to said levers for reversing the movement of the actuating-shaft and guide, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the cord-guid-e and mechanism for giving a reciprocating movement thereto, ot' the transversely-arranged rods or bails between which said guide moves, and the mechanism for reversing the direction of movement of said guide, connected with and operated from said bails, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the cord-guide and its actuating mechanism, of transverselyarranged rods or bails, supporting levers therefor, and reversing mechanism connected to said levers, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the cord-guide and its actuating mechanism, of the bail or rod operated upon by the Weight of said guide for reversing its direction of movement, a stationary rest or support for upholding said guide at the inner end of its thro W above said bail, and reversing mechanism connected with said bail, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a machine for Windingor balling cord, the combination of the cord-guide and its actuating mechanism, a two-armed lever having rods or bails arranged to be operated by said guide, and a clutch mechanism connected to said tWo-arn1ed lever to be operated for reversing the movements of the cordguide, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a machine for balling cord, of a tapering mandrel, the disk or head on said mandrel having a projecting pin or spur, sliding pawl-rods actuated by said pin, the cord-guide and its actuating mechanism, alever actuated by the cord-guide for lifting the pawls into engagement with said pin, and reversing mechanism connected to and operated by said pawls for reversing the direction of movement of the cord-guide, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the screw-threaded shaft and the cord-guide operated thereby, of two driving-wheels mounted loosely on said shaft and rotated continuously in opposite directions, the clutch member feathered to and sliding on said shaft between said Wheels, a shifting fork or lever for operating said clutch, the trip-levers and bails operated upon by said cord-guide, and connections between said levers and bails and the shiftinglever, substantially as described, whereby the movements of the guide are made to operate the clutch and change the direction of move ment of the cord-guide, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the screw-threaded shaft for operating the cord-guide, of op positely-moving driving-Wheels, the sliding clutch member, the lever, and devices for moving said clutch member, and the springs operating, substantially as described, to hold said clutch in its adjusted position.

10. The combination, ina machine for balling or spooling cord, with a reciprocating cord-guide and its actuating mechanism, of the bails, the trip-levers, the reversing mechanism connected with said bails and trip-levers and acted upon thereby for reversing the movement of the guide, a pulley on said guide, a roller for guiding the cord, and the fixed rest or support for upholding the cordguide arm at the inner end of its movement in beginning a ball or spool, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of October, A. D. 1889.

ANDRE\V MILLER.

\Vitnesses:

M. D. MAKEPEACE, A. WooDRUrr. 

